


Three Myths about Wong Yukhei

by waysteria



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Jock Yukhei, M/M, Misunderstandings, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:00:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,897
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25248823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waysteria/pseuds/waysteria
Summary: Hendery is supposed to help people at the LGTBQ booth, not argue with a boy from the football team that seems to be overly interested in him. He's also supposed to accept apologies, and not find Wong Yukhei a bit too handsome to let him go in peace.
Relationships: Wong Kun Hang | Hendery/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 47
Kudos: 495





	Three Myths about Wong Yukhei

**Author's Note:**

> hi hi!!  
> this hencas fic is for devon!! happy birthday devon :3 your friend lindsey just wanted to make you happy with this little fic and I hope it does  
> and thank you lindsey for trusting me for this!
> 
> \+ it's not vital to understand this fic, but some of these characters belong to this [markten](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16900740) fic, so if anyone is interested in markten's side story, there it is!

Hendery's conclusion at the end of his first semester in university is that he has to learn to say _no_.

It's either that, or coming up with better excuses that prevent Ten from dragging him into his community support activities. Hendery isn't that reticent this time, since he signed up for Ten's team as a volunteer and most activities are pretty helpful: they prepared a LGTBQ booth on campus to hand out information and help whoever who had questions. It's for a good cause, and Hendery hopes it will be worth the effort, but after a couple of hours of groundwork Hendery knows he's going to hate this.

The spring's heat is already hitting with full force, and though they could have placed the booth under a tree, the university's council designated every inch of their allowed space. On the first day Hendery finds himself sweating for hours under the sun, and he has to go to the bathroom a few times to pour water on his head.

On the second day, he brings a cap with him and a small fan to set it on the table. Jaemin, the other boy Ten chose for the booth, does the same. Most of the time he and Jaemin just talk to each other, unless they get bored and one of them decides to distribute fliers among the students. Hendery likes Jaemin's company, but sometimes it gets so hot that even his tongue feels sticky, so Jaemin lets him sink his face in the table while patting his head.

To Hendery's surprise, a lot of students approach the booth. Some of them are just curious, as if the rainbow flag hanging off the table isn't enough of an explanation; while some students assume they're giving free samples – a boy even asks for condoms, and though Hendery tries to shush Jaemin, Jaemin bites out something along the lines of finding someone that wants to fuck him first.

The majority of students that approach them are a worse plague, however, because heterosexual guys seem to be overly interested in the sexual aspect of their explanations. Of course, part of them aren't as heterosexual as they claim to be, but Hendery runs out of patience fast; it's easy to reach a point of exhaustion in which he doesn't want to discuss sexuality crisis with people in denial anymore.

“You can't just say that,” Jaemin scolds him after Hendery plainly tells a boy that he's not there to give him love advice. “Ten is going to kill you.”

Hendery sends Jaemin an amused glance, because considering Jaemin's filter is way weaker than his, he's surprised that the memory of Ten still has some influence over Jaemin. Jaemin is turning out to be the nicest side of this booth combination, so he doesn't have any reason to fear Ten's wrath. His wrath is a myth anyhow: Hendery has spent the whole year pushing him to his limits for fun, and the worst Ten has done is respond with snarky remarks.

“Jaemin, if I have to hear another dude telling me that they're not gay but I'm so pretty that they feel confused, I'm quitting,” Hendery announces, loud enough for a couple of boys that are walking towards them to blush. They scramble to turn around, embarrassed, and Jaemin looks at them in joy. Hendery counts it as a win. “My god, I think Ten chose us as bait.”

Jaemin scoffs at that, but his side of the table is covered with phone numbers, and Hendery gives him a judgmental look.

“You're not allowed to abandon me,” Jaemin protests, running a hand through his hair. The wind from his fan makes him look even more beautiful, and Hendery isn't even a bit shocked at how many proposals he’s getting. “Wasn't Ten supposed to take care of this booth, though? He recruits people for other activities here, he's good at that.”

“He ditched us for a boy,” Hendery grumpily says. “Mark, I think it was? He needed Ten's help a lot more than us, apparently.”

Jaemin doesn't comment on that, but they exchange a glance that speaks for itself. Ten would only neglect his duties if he was interested in the boy, and that's one of the reasons Hendery decided not to oppose resistance and lend a hand. He should have agreed to work a few days only, not half a month, however.

When Hendery opens his mouth to complain about the heat again, he realizes Jaemin isn't paying him attention anymore. His eyes are narrowed, stare fixed ahead, and his perpetual smile is nowhere to be seen. Hendery follows the direction of his stare just to find out who is upsetting Jaemin: there's a bunch of boys from the football club passing by, his big sport bags decorated with the university's emblem, and the booth caught their attention. Not the kind of attention Hendery and Jaemin are looking for. The boys are giggling and trying to push one of them towards the booth, and Hendery feels his stomach flip at the sight.

“What are they laughing at?” Jaemin grunts, the most threatening sound Hendery has ever heard come out of him. “Should I go there and talk about STDs?”

“Absolutely no,” Hendery warns him, pointing his finger at him. Jaemin looks at him like he's considering disobeying just for the fun of it, but his shoulders slump in defeat. “Ignore them.”

Hendery doesn't want to assume the worst, but he's had enough bad encounters to know what a group of sporty dudes in university might be finding funny about them. He doesn't understand why the group has chosen a specific boy, a tall, gorgeous man with dirty blond hair that can't stop smiling and blushing at the same time, but it doesn’t matter.

Hendery hates that he finds him cute, but when the boy meets eyes with Hendery by accident, he freaks out, his smile vanishing in the split of a second. It's karmic vengeance that he doesn't manage to bear Hendery's serious gaze, but that just makes his friends laugh louder.

“Stop!” he hisses at them, voice surprisingly deep. He pivots, despite the several arms that try to keep him in the booth's direction. “You're bothering them!”

Hendery doesn't react in time. Before he can check Jaemin's patience levels, he's already screaming a sharp, “Yeah! You are.”

It's funny how fast Jaemin's bravery dissolves the group, and Hendery regrets not letting him act earlier. Both of them openly laugh at the scene, and the tall guy looks back a few times while they walk away, even when they're too far away and they should have forgotten about the booth. Hendery doesn't know why his own eyes are still glued to them either, but he blames his sense of danger.

“Fools,” Jaemin chirps, noticing Guanheng's silence. “I bet they let guys suck them off at parties anyway.”

Hendery doesn't join his rambling, because once he remembers that the football facilities are right behind their booth, he realizes this might not be the last time they cross paths with the team. He's grateful Jaemin's response stopped the jeering, but Guanheng will end up having a headache if this happens again.

It's going to be a long month.

Hendery meets Mark a few days later, and to be fair, it's the highlight of his week.

Ten doesn't bother explaining the nature of their relationship, but Hendery is used to seeing Ten jump from man to man without thinking twice. Mark doesn't look like the type that would like to be jumped over, however, and when Hendery steps out of his faculty and spots them at the entrance, he prays for Mark's heart.

He's quite cute, Hendery admits that, but he fears for the spark of hope he looks at Ten with. Ten might have helped him a bit too much, otherwise he wouldn't follow him around like a lost puppy.

Ten greets Hendery with a hug, and then pats his hair, a contented smile perched on his face.

“I need you to do booth work this weekend too,” he shoots at Hendery, no intention to disguise his intentions. Hendery knew that there had to be a catch, because Ten rarely picked him up at his faculty, so it doesn't catch him off guard. “Sorry, Sana and Yeri failed me, and you don't need to study that much.”

Hendery rolls his eyes at that, but Ten is right. Sana and Yeri are engineering majors, and they probably need that free time more than Hendery.

“You're so lovely.”

“Always,” Ten retorts. He gestures towards Mark, whose wide, interested eyes are set on Hendery like he's discovering a new world through their conversation. “This is Mark, by the way. He'll be with you this weekend.”

Hendery sizes Mark up, evaluating his rosy cheeks and his nice smile, but it's not that hard to figure out that Mark agreed to this due to Ten's persuasion talent. All of them do, after all; it’s just that Mark has deeper reasons.

“Wrong decision, dude,” Hendery says with a shake of his head. “Have you ever been in a booth?”

“Nope,” Mark admits with a shrug. He frets nervously from one leg to another, and glances at Ten like he expects him to vouch for him. “Ten just told me to give out fliers.”

That isn't good news, because Hendery is used to Jaemin doing most of the work. He's the nice one, or in more specific words, he's the only one who can fake kindness when someone is being an asshole to them. Hendery reckons he's pretty nice himself, but he snaps as soon as he detects someone is rude.

“Jesus.” Hendery sighs, half amused, half desperate. “That's fine, I'll handle the questions. Just- Don't get into trouble.”

Mark doesn't seem to understand why he would get into trouble in a LGTBQ booth, which is equally worrying and soothing.

“Don't let him give anyone his number,” Ten orders, clamping his hand over Mark's shoulder. Hendery laughs at that, not believing that Ten is going to play the jealous role now, but Ten notices and adds, “He's still green, he can't tell when someone is flirting with him.”

“Ten,” Mark complains, a dark shade of red expanding on his cheeks.

There’s something implicit there, an insinuation about Mark being too innocent not to fall face flat on Ten’s bed. Hendery is familiar with Ten's ways, and it's so, so easy to solve the equation in front of him.

“Did you deflower the boy?” he asks Ten, his grin spreading with every word. “That explains a lot.”

It explains why Mark would involve himself in this, why he's sticking to Ten and following him around without questioning his own responsibilities. Hendery wants to warn him that when it comes to Ten, he should ask a lot of questions, especially if Ten is growing a liking for him beyond the bedroom. But he'll learn that himself, just like Hendery will learn to not fall into Ten's sudden plans.

“Stop talking, you'll intimidate him,” Ten scolds him, though he doesn't sound worried. Mark chokes on his own saliva, even redder than before, and Ten’s lips quirk up in satisfaction. He tugs at Hendery's sleeve and turns around, leading both Mark and him towards his car. “Food, baby? You look like you're starving.”

Hendery knows that's the only bribe he's receiving from this, so he trails after Ten at the speed of light.

Friday and Saturday pass like a breeze, which is quite ironical given the temperature.

Hendery gets to know Mark better during that time, since they find other topics to talk about apart from Ten and Mark turns out to be pretty talkative. Even Jaemin visits them on Saturday and teaches Mark a couple of tricks to make people interested in their activities, probably because he pities Hendery for having to deal with all the questions and the hard work alone.

That's not the most unnerving part, however. That week the football match is at home, scheduled for Sunday, which means that during the two previous days, Hendery deludes himself into believing that the team won't be around.

Needless to say, he's wrong. He makes that terrible discovery on Friday, when the girl that has been asking about asexuality finally moves away with a shy thanks and, among the crowd, Hendery distinguishes two of the boys that were laughing the other day. They don't even spare a glance to the booth, but Hendery can't help but nervously shift on his chair.

The tall boy appears a few minutes later, sprinting and dodging students, and Hendery realizes he must be late to practice. Unlike his teammates, he looks at the booth for a second, and Hendery has to pretend that he wasn't staring – he's sure that he fails, but he stubbornly stacks the fliers over the table like it's the most important task in the world. Once the boy is gone, Hendery becomes aware of how ridiculous and humiliating his behavior is.

Saturday is worse. After a day of experience Mark gains confidence, and that translates into him actually moping around because it's too hot and people don't want fliers and think they're trying to sell something. When the sun is setting and there are barely any students around, Hendery tells him to go to the bathroom and rest for a while. There's only one hour left for them to close the booth anyway, and Saturday is always a calm day.

“I'll be quick!” Mark assures him, too happy for Hendery to believe his words.

Hendery regrets that decision as soon as the football team starts leaving their facilities. They always come out in groups, and by now Hendery can recognize some players, a skill he's not proud of. That's how he knows that Tall Boy is last. His friends, or at least those that were with him on that first day, leave without him.

He shouldn't care, he shouldn't even be paying attention to those details, but Hendery grows more anxious, his chest clenching with an ugly hunch. He's torn between waiting for Mark's return or getting ready to hide if the boy approaches him alone. Either way, he knows that he's fucked. There are too many valuable goods in their booth, and Ten will murder him if he leaves and someone steals from them.

It's a matter of time. Tall Boy appears walking through the path that leads to the football's field, but he's slow, too slow, and Hendery knows that is a bad omen. He pointedly glances away and starts counting the money they got from donations, as if that can distract him from the hammering inside his chest.

Tall Boy stops on his tracks a few times, and Hendery sucks in a breath every time, praying that he won't be brave enough to come to the booth. He supposes that right now, alone and with no students around, Hendery is an easy target. It's also the perfect moment for a closeted queer boy to come and ask questions, he thinks for a moment, but he doubts this is the case.

Hendery sighs and shuts his eyes close for a moment of peace, but it's impossible not to hear the footsteps striding towards the booth. All in all, Hendery isn't a coward, and though Jaemin might come in handy in this sort of situations, Hendery can fence for himself.

Tall Boy is really, really tall, so Hendery has to crane his neck to look at him. The first thought that crosses his mind is that it's unfair: not only is he immensely tall, but his face is also perfect. Thick, defined lips that stretch to show a shy, equally flawless smile; his eyes are big too, a spark of warmness in them, and Hendery swears he hasn't seen a nose that cute in his entire life. On top of that, Tall Boy is wearing an after-workout tank top that shows his frame too well – Hendery expected a player like him to be strong, but if Hendery himself started bulking up, he's sure he would never come close to Tall Boy's attractiveness. It’s all in the genes, Hendery thinks.

When Hendery manages to take his eyes off him, he notices the name tag on his sports bag: Wong Yukhei. The name is vaguely familiar, but it might be because Hendery is a bit paranoid.

“Hey,” Yukhei greets him, scratching his nape like he doesn't know what the hell he's doing. Hendery doesn't know either, that's for sure. “Do you have a second? I just wanted-”

It's clear he didn't plan this thoroughly. Hendery tries not to pull a face at his clumsiness, but Yukhei doesn't look that bothered by the hostility on Hendery's face; he simply takes a deep breath, regret painting his features, and that's enough for Hendery to catch on.

“Apologize for the childish stunt the other day?” Hendery proposes, crossing his arms over the table.

Judging how Yukhei flinches at his words, Hendery has hit the center of the target.

“Yeah, I guess,” he answers, which is far from being a proper apology. There's some sincerity in his voice, though, and worry in his eyes when he meets Hendery's cold gaze. “You didn't look very happy.”

Hendery studies him with intent, wondering why Yukhei approached him to give him a half–assed apology. They're strangers, so technically this boy could ignore him and not go through the pride crushing process of apologizing for acting like an asshole. Besides, Hendery wasn't alone that day, and Jaemin would have appreciated this, but Yukhei seems to be focusing only on him.

Despite how ridiculous the apology is, Hendery knows he should accept it. It'll save him the trouble of arguing with Yukhei, it'll save him time, and he could ask for a donation that Yukhei won't be able to avoid out of guilt.

But Hendery's tongue has different plans, his temper takes the best of him, and he hears himself retort, “Straight boys making fun of a booth like this doesn't make me happy, no.”

The frown that deepens in Yukhei's face confuses Hendery too. The tension in the atmosphere is suddenly so thick, so heavy that only then Hendery realizes he was calm before that. Yukhei glances down at his own shoes, pensive, looking quite small for someone his size.

In the end, Yukhei mutters, “It wasn't my fault.”

“Those are your friends, right? So it's still kind of your fault.”

“God.” And there it is: exasperation. Hendery doesn't intend to frustrate Yukhei's attempts at apologizing, but he admits it's quite pleasing to get back at him. “They didn't mean it that way, you know?”

Hendery arches a brow, unimpressed.

“Which way did they mean it, then?”

Frozen, Yukhei stares at him for a while, opening and closing his mouth again and again. He doesn't have an answer for Hendery, as though he intuits that claiming that it was a joke isn't a good idea. Hendery reckons that Yukhei could appreciate some _Ten lessons_ , but boys like him don't actually join associations just because they fucked up once.

Yukhei gets saved by the bell, much to Hendery's disappointment. Mark shows up behind him with a smile, and it takes Hendery a second to understand why Mark has his hand wrapped around Yukhei's arm.

Yukhei must be too concerned over Hendery to process his surroundings too, because he steps back and glances at Mark in surprise, like he can't compute another human's presence.

“Oh, Mark,” he says, blinking down at him. “You're at the booth too?”

“Yes!” Mark excitedly answers. He grabs a bunch of pamphlets and offers them to Yukhei, whose cheeks burn red in record time. “Do you want some fliers?”

“I'm fine,” Yukhei assures him, smoothing the front of his shirt. “I was just talking to-”

Yukhei bites his lower lip, maybe expecting Hendery to tell him his name. Hendery never intended to do so, but Mark, like Ten warned him, isn't that fast at catching up with the situation, so he animatedly says, “Hendery.”

Hendery has to repress the urge of dropping his head onto the table in defeat, and Yukhei's awkwardness vanishes in favor of a grin – a very teasing grin, Hendery notices, since he understands what has just happened.

“I'm in a bit of a hurry, but thank you,” Yukhei lies. His gaze lingers on Hendery, like he wants to add something else, but Hendery glares at him to dissuade him. That doesn't erase the grin off his face, and Hendery can't tell anymore whether he's mad at Yukhei or just a bit aroused. “See you, Mark.”

Mark sits behind the booth with Hendery, oblivious to his tension, and helps him to count the donations. Hendery distractedly follows Yukhei's figure through campus, still flustered, stupidly hoping that Yukhei will glance back at him. He doesn't understand why his brain fixes on that detail. Perhaps because Yukhei is hot and annoying, and he had the guts to give him a lazy apology even though Hendery didn't expect anything from him. Perhaps because Hendery lost that fight even though he had all the weapons to win, and he can't still understand how Yukhei came victorious out of it.

But when he's about to take the last turn before disappearing into the path, Yukhei looks back at him, a knowing smile on his lips, and Hendery has to lower his head to hide his own smile. It doesn't exactly feel like defeat.

On Sunday, Hendery decides to bail out.

He’s not proud of it, but lying about being sick pays off as he snuggles into his bed and binge watches a new Netflix show. Yeri takes his place at the booth, wishes him a speedy recovery, and sends him a few pictures with Mark that just prove she’s going to have fun pestering him today.

Ten messages him to ask if he needs food, but Hendery knows that Ten will call his bluff off right away, so he assures him that Dejun promised to do it for him. That doesn’t leave Hendery any option but to actually resort to Dejun. They haven’t seen each other in a couple of weeks, since he’s too busy with his exams and spends his free time with his not-crush, not-boyfriend Kun. Hendery never pushes the topic further than Dejun wants to, but at some point he’ll have to accept that sleeping with the same dude on a daily basis involves something deeper than a mere friendship with benefits.

Dejun buys him lunch and enters his dorm without knocking on the door first. Sometimes Hendery regrets giving him a copy of the keys, but Dejun has saved his drunk ass enough times to consider it a vital sacrifice.

After taking a long look at him, Dejun clicks his tongue in disapproval. “I knew you were faking it,” he concludes, his thick eyebrows arching in resignation. “What’s the reason?”

Hendery eyes the food, obviating the question at first. He shuts his laptop close and makes room for Dejun, but as soon as his friends nests on his bed, he lifts the food box as a threat. Dejun wants the truth in exchange of this favor, and he has the right to ask for it.

“No,” Hendery whines, his shoulders unconsciously slumping. “You’re going to make fun of me.”

Judging the ephemeral smile on Dejun's face, as though the mere idea amuses him, Hendery isn't wrong.

Dejun nudges him. “That’s a given, come on.”

Hendery refuses to explain the whole story, and deep inside he's glad no one else has been there to witness every single step of that strange argument with Yukhei. Jaemin doesn't know that the football boy kept checking the booth, and Hendery doesn't think Mark will ever mention Yukhei without a reason, so Jaemin shouldn't be able to put all the pieces together. On the other hand, Mark has no idea that they had a tiny problem with Yukhei and the booth.

“I’m avoiding a boy,” Hendery admits in a grumble. “Happy?”

Against his expectations, Dejun doesn't make fun of him. He moves back over the bed until he's leaning on the wall, a curious glint in his pupils.

“Who?”

“You don’t know him.”

If Hendery sounds a bit panicked, a bit too interested in keeping Dejun in the dark, it's not because he's flustered – he just thinks this conversation is unnecessary and Dejun will assume the wrong thing. Hendery rarely mentions boys beyond a few comments, and he hasn't had a proper crush in a while. Not that this is a crush. Hendery frowns at his own sheets.

“Actually, I don’t know him either, but we’ve had a few bad encounters and today is the football match so-” Hendery stops himself, but it's too late. “Shit.”

The fact that Hendery offered details so easily is embarrassing. Dejun didn't even have to insist, but Hendery wants to blame him anyway: there's an aura around him that makes anyone relax – and too much relaxation is dangerous.

Dejun lets out an enchanted laugh. “Tell me you didn’t fight some straight boy from the football team.”

“I didn’t fight him!” Hendery protests. “If anything-”

“Hendery, for fuck’s sake,” Dejun interrupts him. He rubs the palm of his hand all over his face, like Hendery's issues stress him out, but Hendery can see that he's laughing underneath. “Just eat. Let’s not tell Ten you skipped today because you grew a boner for a straight boy.”

Hendery's instinct is to retort, but Dejun squeezes his thigh as a warning and he surrenders.

The truth is that Dejun's shoot didn't miss for that much. Hendery shouldn't be conditioning his own life for a stranger, but he is, and that's one of the alarming signs that hint that he might have his eyes on Yukhei. Whether he likes it or not, he finds himself wondering why Mark knows him. Why he'd bother to go to the booth to apologize, or why he waited to be alone to do it. Hendery supposes that apologizing with his friends around would have been a blow to his pride, but apologizing itself should have been one too. Yukhei's behavior doesn't make much sense to him, and Hendery can't figure out why.

Either way, he used up all his energy to argue yesterday, so Hendery lets Dejun laugh at him for the rest of the afternoon.

For better or for worse, Ten changes the schedule that week and sends Hendery to the other side of the campus.

Hendery is relieved, but also tremendously disappointed. He can't explain the reason why he would prefer to stay with Jaemin in the most buzzing side of campus, hence he closes his mouth and accepts his fate. If the universe wants him away from Yukhei, then Hendery must believe that it's meant to be. He doesn't have to spend the whole day fretting over if Yukhei will come to him, and he can focus on helping people instead.

But fate works in wonderful ways, and on the third day, when the association members reunite to discuss and evaluate their activities, Jaemin slides up to him with a mysterious smile at the end of the reunion. Hendery tenses up and watches Ten across the table, but thankfully he's too busy chatting with Mark. The rest of the team is either picking up their stuff to leave or joking around, so Hendery hopes no one is paying attention.

“A boy asked about you,” Jaemin sing-songs, perching his chin on Hendery's shoulder. That sends a shiver down his spine, and perhaps because he can't hide his reaction, Jaemin adds, “He knew your name.”

Hendery doesn't need to hear more. It would be crazy to think Jaemin came up with this story on his own, just looking for a reason to tease Hendery. It's much more likely that Yukhei recognized Jaemin and decided to complicate Hendery's life further.

“And call me crazy, but I'd swear he was one of the football guys that laughed at the booth,” Jaemin continues, since Hendery's silence is revealing. “What have you been doing this weekend, Hendery?”

Considering Yukhei didn't approach him until both of them were alone, Hendery is impressed he was cheeky enough to involve Jaemin. Jaemin proved to be more direct too, so Yukhei should have felt some fear towards him.

Hendery ignores the incriminating question and asks, “You didn't give him my number, did you?”

Jaemin looks offended. “Nope.” He sets his hand on the table, and when Hendery looks down, he realizes that Jaemin is pressing some kind of paper there. “But he asked for it, and this didn't sound like a very straight move to me.”

Hendery doesn't understand what he's talking about until Jaemin draws his hand away. The piece of paper is a ticket, and Hendery stares at it in complete confusion, reading the colorful letters like he's just learned to read five minutes ago. It's an invitation to a party, and someone – Yukhei, probably – scribbled his name on it, leaving the _last name_ space blank.

It would be a lie to say his heart doesn't speed up.

“What kind of assholes actually make invitations for a college party?” Hendery murmurs, even though he grabs the invitation regardless.

Jaemin dedicates him a weird look. “It's the football after party for the next match home,” he explains, like it's evident. Hendery doesn’t read the whole thing, just crumples the invitation into his pocket. “I considered keeping it, but alas. If you don't want it, I'll have it.”

Hendery grunts as a response, and of course Jaemin gets the hint and isn't discreet about it. Those parties are private, and Hendery remembers attending a similar one months ago – it was for the soccer team, though. It was pretty fun, and that’s where he met Ten and Yuta, but he hasn’t had the chance to go to another one again.

Hendery can't bother with the teasing, not while the invitation pulses in his pocket like it's a bomb about to explode. Maybe it is. He doesn't know how he's going to handle this, but he agrees that it was a pretty bold move from Yukhei – not that straight, after all.

Hendery considers throwing the invitation away.

That option would save him a lot of trouble, and maybe if he was lucky enough, Ten wouldn't assign him back to the initial booth and he wouldn’t have to see Yukhei again. But as Hendery scowls down at the invitation on his lap, he realizes that this avoidance strategy is just as stupid as actually accepting Yukhei's idea.

There is a tiny detail that convinces him: the invitation indicates he can bring three people with him, so he doesn’t have to go alone. There would be no way in hell Hendery went to the party alone anyway, both because he doesn’t trust his own decisions and because, plainly, he doesn’t know Yukhei. The fact that Mark is on good terms with him grants him some trust points, but Hendery has yet to know someone that Mark dislikes.

Hendery chooses the obvious person to accompany him: Dejun. He's not crazy enough to tell Ten, though he'd be a perfect option if Hendery got into trouble or if Yukhei invited him just to make fun of him. That little problem can be fixed with the second addition to Hendery's team, though, and since Dejun and Kun are attached at the hip, they're up to partying together too.

Hendery doesn't know much about Kun, other than he looks deceitfully responsible but, in Dejun's words, appearances are misleading. He's heard enough stories to know that Kun's neat attitude and his innocent smile are just a façade. Dejun always says that he's smart, and that smart people can never be completely harmless.

That's a good thing for Hendery, at least tonight.

Maybe it would be good etiquette to attend the match, but when they arrive at the small stadium, it's already full and the guards tell them they have to buy tickets beforehand. Hendery feels a bit ridiculous, but Kun drags them to a pizza place near the stadium, and then they go directly to the bar the football team has rented for the party – by then the match is already over, and judging people's mood as they invade the pizza place, they've won.

“What are we supposed to do with that Yukhei boy?” Dejun asks once they're in the car. Kun is driving, though he assured them that the way back to the dorms would be in a taxi. Hendery has no complaints about that. “Do you even know how to hold a conversation?”

From the backseat, Hendery glowers at the back of Dejun's head, but he can't defend himself. His exchange with Yukhei wasn't exactly bright – it was an argument – and he still doesn't know what the fuck he'll do tonight.

“I think he might be more decent than you think,” Kun retorts, flashing Dejun a smile. Dejun reaches out to pinch his thigh, and Kun slaps his hand away with a laugh. “I've seen Yukhei before, he's not what you would call... average. He's not easy either.”

Hendery's blood freezes. “Wait, you know him?”

Kun looks at him through the rearview mirror, mirth in his eyes and a sort of intense amusement that serves as an answer.

“For my own sake, I won't say anything that can be used against me,” Kun says, very entertained with Hendery's shocked semblance and the indignant protest that leaves Dejun's mouth. “But I heard about you through him before I heard about him through you. So,” Kun frowns at the next road, looking for a spot to park, and it takes Hendery a moment to recognize the bar to his right side. “Don't be surprised if other players already know about you.”

A wave of embarrassment interlaces with Hendery's incredulity, and his stomach twists at that confession; if it's hope or nervousness, he doesn't know. Yukhei doesn't look like the type of boy that would talk to his friends about something like this, but Hendery supposes that he had to explain why he invited a stranger to their private party.

All in all, the word privacy seems to be relative. There's a long line by the bar, and Hendery doesn't miss how the windows have been covered on purpose – he doesn't think that the football team is that important, but they must have had problems before if they covered the windows and opted for personal invitations.

Without a trace of shame, Kun asks for the invitation and tugs them forward, skipping the line with such confidence that no one doubts that he has the right to do so. The guard at the door finds their stunt funny, and before Hendery can reevaluate his life decisions, they're stepping inside.

There aren't many people in the bar, but it's still hard to spot Yukhei right away. Hendery doesn't want to obsess over it, because yes, he's technically here for him and because of him, but he doesn't owe Yukhei exclusive attention – even if he's Kun's friend, and also Mark's, and his smile is devastating pretty and Hendery has been thinking about him every night since they talked. And if he's being honest with himself, which he might do tonight since he's at it, he might have dedicated Yukhei some thoughts even before that. A few furtive glances and the flame of Hendery's ego were a lethal combination for his heart.

He wasn't sure if he was attracted to Yukhei because he was a god in human form or because he was a challenge. Or because he was annoying. Every single detail might have contributed to it.

“You're going to drink,” Kun announces then, sending Hendery a knowing glance, as though he can read his mind without effort.

“I'll keep an eye on you so you don't jump Yukhei,” Dejun merrily adds, proof of how little faith he has on his friend.

But Hendery accepts, and once he's finished the first drink – something sweet that doesn't seem to have a lot of alcohol in it – he dares to glance around the bar.

He has only one certainty: Yukhei found him first. He's sitting with a bunch of guys, all of them familiar faces – Hendery suspects they're his teammates, otherwise he wouldn't recognize them – a drink in his hand as he leans back on the seat. He's laughing with the rest, but his eyes are on Hendery before Hendery can even recognize him.

Even from the other side of the bar, Hendery knows that Yukhei's smile is directed at him. And he doesn't look cocky, like Hendery expected, or satisfied with that small win. Instead there's a mixture of surprise and happiness, as though Yukhei assumed Hendery would ignore the invitation. It would have been the sane decision to take, but sometimes Hendery's dick has stronger thoughts than his brain.

“Maybe you should go there,” Dejun notes, elbowing him to let him know that he's on the same wavelength. “He's too busy to come say hi.”

Hendery would prefer to die to stepping in the middle of that conversation, but before he can open his mouth and claim that Dejun must have gone crazy, Kun catches his wrist and jerks him along.

It's too late to fight back: first, because Dejun will murder him if he hurts Kun by accident, and second, because he would have to embarrass himself while Yukhei's eyes are on him. He's not about to act like a kid afraid of his crush after putting himself in this situation.

The closer they get to Yukhei, the stronger Hendery's regret becomes. Each step just reminds him how gorgeous Yukhei is. Hendery had forgotten his lips were that fascinating, or that he was so big that he couldn't properly fit in a chair, or that he might be out of Hendery’s league by a big shot.

“Kun, hi,” Yukhei greets him first, leaning forward with a smile. Then he glances at Hendery, a bit more serious, and says, “Hendery.”

The effect is immediate: every single one of Yukhei's friends, who were minding their own business until now, turn at the mention of his name. Hendery shifts on his feet, uncomfortable with that amount of attention, but he wears his best neutral expression. At least this proves that Kun wasn’t lying to him: Yukhei has talked to other people about him. He represses he urge of giving them a small wave to acknowledge the attention, but he knows that it’s a terrible idea and he’ll look like a nervous kid.

Instead he utters a greeting that sounds too high in his throat, and then Yukhei excuses himself and leaves his circle of friends. Kun stays there, but he throws them a greasy wink once Yukhei signals Hendery to go with him. Hendery can’t even be bothered to glare at Kun: Yukhei seems to be overwhelmed by the attention too, even if those are his friends and he kind of provoked this situation.

Yukhei merely leads him back to the bar, and he chooses an empty corner that gives them some privacy. The bartender brings them drinks before they can even ask for them; Yukhei must be used to that, because he just thanks the detail with a gorgeous smile. That’s enough for the bartender too.

“I'm quite surprised you actually used my invitation,” Yukhei points out once they’re alone and safe from people’s scrutiny. Yukhei’s smile dims, but his gesture is harmless; in fact, Hendery is sure he couldn’t look intimidating even if he tried. It’s just that Yukhei is extremely pretty, and that’s a big factor to make Hendery restless, to make him feel like he's in danger. “Does that mean you forgave me?”

It’s the perfect moment to start over with Yukhei, but Hendery doesn’t want to give up a fight so easily. Otherwise Yukhei might think he can be bought with some flirting and invitations to private parties, and Hendery can’t fall into that vicious circle.

“Forgave you for what?” Hendery asks, swiping his fingers over the edge of his glass. Surprise flashes across Yukhei’s face, as clear as day, just to be replaced by triumph. Hendery expects that, because he intends to destroy it with, “You still didn't say what you did, so I don't know if _you_ know what you're apologizing for.”

Yukhei is petrified for a few seconds, his gaze racking over Hendery’s semblance, either to size him up or to find a hint that proves that he’s joking. Hendery isn’t joking, however, so Yukhei’s next move takes him by his surprise. Elbow on the bar, Yukhei leans his chin on his palm, his amusement unfurling as he understands Hendery’s intentions.

“I see,” Yukhei says, slowly, as though he’s savoring this moment. His lips twitch into a grin, and Hendery doesn’t understand why, but that confidence isn’t a good sign. “I'm sorry my friends made a scene because they wanted me to ask for your number.”

Silence spreads between them, and Hendery stares at Yukhei for too long, with too much incredulity to pretend that Yukhei hasn't caught him off guard. The flustering heat that expands on his face betrays him too. Yukhei would be inclined to think he's misheard Yukhei, but Yukhei’s satisfaction is the confirmation that his hearing is perfect.

“What?”

Yukhei lifts his eyebrows, surprised at the fact that Hendery doesn’t have a retort this time.

“I'm sorry I didn't ask,” Yukhei continues. And he should be, because Hendery is too surprised to maintain an intelligent conversation right now, and he needs Yukhei to speak to fill the silence. “Because maybe that would have been less awkward for you and your friend. My teammates can be pretty ridiculous sometimes, I don’t know why they thought _literally_ pushing me towards you was a good idea.”

It was a misunderstanding, but perhaps if they hadn't tried to pull high school level antics, Hendery wouldn't have assumed the worst. He should be the first one to admit that stereotypes are bullshit, though, and he's ashamed for forcing that on Yukhei.

Destabilized by the direct confession, Hendery takes a long shot to give himself time, and only then he finds the courage to ask, “Why would you want my number?”

“Is that a serious question? Because you're cute,” Yukhe casually answers. He makes it sound so easy that Hendery feels lightheaded, and Yukhei misinterprets his expression. “Was I delusional for thinking the boy at a queer booth wasn't straight?”

Hendery almost laughs out loud at that. There isn't a single fiber of his body that could lead him to heterosexuality. The fact that it was a possibility for Yukhei is funny, but Hendery blames it on the lack of communication. He's not giving Yukhei a lot to work with, not even now.

“You're not delusional,” Hendery confirms, which makes Yukhei's grin widen. Hendery didn't think that was possible until now, but he ignores that to say, “But I don't fully believe you.”

Perhaps it's irrational, but there's something fishy about a random football player having an eye on him, actually sharing it with his friends and teammates, and being bold enough to make a move even when he should have given up.

But against all odds, his words don't offend Yukhei.

He just nods, taking that in, and admits, “I get that a lot. That, and the one about how I only want to smash and run.” Yukhei pins him down with a sharp look. “Prejudice is a curious thing.”

If this is a battle, then Yukhei has just wiped his whole army away with one move.

Hendery opens his mouth in a mute answer, his cheeks on fire as he understands the accusation. But Yukhei is right. He can't deny that Yukhei's attractiveness led him to misjudge his intentions. First he thought Yukhei was mocking his sexuality, then that the invitation was a trap, and even if Hendery didn't say it out loud, he also considered that this was Yukhei's strategy to pick up boys.

Not that Hendery would oppose, as long as both of them are very clear about it. It's just a pain in the ass to think that if he can have Yukhei, it will be just once.

“I didn't say anything about smash and run. I'm not against the notion,” Hendery says at last, unable to contain a small laugh. That sparks Yukhei's interest, and Hendery discovers in that exact moment that Yukhei is terrible at hiding his emotions. “But you don't know me, so what else would you want?”

Yukhei frowns at him, confused by his question. “Get to know you?”

God, that's _sweet_. Hendery suddenly wants to smash _and_ stay.

“Is that a question?”

“Yeah,” Yukhei answers, much to his surprise. He observes Hendery with curiosity again, trying to decipher what he means, why he's reticent one moment and open the next, but Hendery knows how to play his cards too. “I'll get what I can have. I'm not going to be very picky with you.”

Hendery feels the world tilt around him, the noise of the bar becoming white noise in his ears. He doesn't remember the last time he slept with someone – maybe at that party five months ago, but he and the other boy had drunk enough to not fuck properly, and it was pretty disappointing.

Yukhei is like a gift fallen from the sky, and the discomfort in Hendery's pants is a massive reminder of that. Hendery wouldn't have even dared to hit on him even if he had known he wasn't straight, and at this point he doesn't care about Yukhei's intentions. He's incredibly hot, nicer than Hendery ever hoped for, and he's safe because both Kun and Mark know him, but they don't run in the same circles – so if they don't want to see each other again, it won't be a problem.

It's perfect.

“That could be a compliment or an offense,” Hendery remarks, but the smile on his lips betrays him.

Yukhei knows that. He's proven that he's not the type to walk on eggshells, so if Hendery rejects him, he'll probably take his offer with him. That explains why Yukhei's gaze darkens at Hendery's words, why he's not showing the pliant side of himself anymore; the power of his eyes makes Hendery's whole body shiver with anticipation.

“Choose one, then,” Yukhei prompts him, dragging his words. The vibration of his low voice goes straight to Hendery's groin, and he wonders for a moment if his moans can go lower than that. Unaware of his thoughts, Yukhei licks his lips and asks, “Which one is going to be?”

It’s a miracle they make it to Yukhei's bedroom, because as soon as they get into Yukhei's car, Yukhei leans over the handbrake and kisses him.

Even though it catches Hendery off guard, it’s impossible not to surrender to Yukhei’s lips. Yukhei is a flame against his mouth, thick and heavenly loaded when he presses on Hendery’s lips, and Hendery grabs the back of his head without hesitation, pulling him closer, inviting him deeper. He hates that apart from being sex on legs, Yukhei kisses well, maybe a bit too well for Hendery's mind not to delude him into his own fantasies.

Yukhei shifts over the handbrake and hums into the kiss, but he has no rush, and he ignores Hendery's impatience and the bits of clumsiness when Hendery speeds their kisses by accident. It’s greed, _desperation_ and the fact that Hendery has been thinking about Yukhei’s mouth for days, so he’s not embarrassed – Yukhei must be used to this kind of response, anyway. He just holds Hendery's chin and leads him slowly, his thumb caressing Hendery’s jaw line until he relaxes, moving against him until their lips are covered in each other's saliva.

By the time Yukhei draws away, Hendery is breathless, and the ghost of Yukhei's tongue pulses both in his mouth and between his legs. Yukhei's gaze is charged as he looks at Hendery, and he knows that this is final, that he's going to let Yukhei do whatever he wants as long as that ends up with Yukhei's dick inside him.

“Come here,” Yukhei mutters, voice hoarse.

The low tone in his voice is the sign that Hendery had an effect on him, and it feels quite surreal that a mere kiss provoked that. Hendery doesn't understand the command at first, but then Yukhei slips one of his big hands under his thigh and it becomes pretty obvious. Hendery feels hot all over as he sits up to straddle Yukhei, though the fire in his groin has more to do with how quickly Yukhei fastens a hand on his ass. It's an excuse disguised as help, and Yukhei dedicates him a mischievous smile before jerking him into another kiss.

Hendery hates that this is so easy with Yukhei. Maybe if he wasn’t with Yukhei, he'd think twice about making out in a car, would even think twice about making out at all. But Yukhei tugs him into a strange sensation of peace, a place where Hendery doesn't have to worry for anything but his pride, and even that sheds off piece by piece as Yukhei roams his hands over his back and ass.

Hendery tries to find his balance by holding onto Yukhei's shoulders, but he winds up with his arms around his head and his hands entangled in his hair, kissing him with a desperation that will embarrass him in the morning. The consolation is that Yukhei isn’t different, and if Hendery shivers under his touch, so does Yukhei when Hendery grinds on his lap.

“We shouldn't stay here,” Yukhei mutters against his lips. “I already got a fine to pay for this.”

Hendery pulls away, but given Yukhei's seriousness, the confirmation that he means it, Hendery bursts into laughter. “That _isn't_ a joke?”

Yukhei's confusion just makes it funnier, though that feeling fades out when Hendery notices why Yukhei can't follow his reasoning: he's too focused on Hendery's mouth. He doesn't have room to think why getting a fine for fucking in a car is a funny story; all Yukhei can do is remember why he has to hold back.

“Your place?” Hendery proposes then, not disposed to ruin the mood. “My roommate-”

“Yeah,” Yukhei cuts him off, breath warm hovering over his lips. “My place.”

Hendery manages to keep his hands to himself during the drive, but he doesn't miss how Yukhei glances at him from time to time, like he's considering if pulling over and getting a fine is the right decision. He doesn't live far away, to Hendery's relief, so most of their chat is awkwardly casual, both of them ignoring they're hard and beyond ready.

When Yukhei invites him into his single bedroom, Hendery doesn't have time to inspect the place. He steps into his room, fingers hooked in Yukhei’s shirt, and before he can even say the word, Yukhei's hands are around his waist and he dangerously swings against him.

There’s no reason for Hendery to brace himself, because again, Yukhei knows how to build the pace, and it feels natural to go from kissing to groping, and from groping to letting Yukhei pin him down on the bed. The only downside is that Hendery is in a haze at first, that he can’t properly explore the edges of Yukhei’s body, and when clothes start falling off, he’s not ready to process how impressive Yukhei is. He's seen Yukhei's arms before, but he hasn't seen the rest – when Hendery pulls at Yukhei's shirt without preparing himself first, Yukhei flicks him a diverted smile, reveling in his astounded silence.

“My shirt for your pants,” Yukhei says, as though Hendery isn't planning to undress tonight anyway. With a leveled look, he adds, “Truce?”

Hendery distractedly nods, his fingers curling over the hem of his own pants as Yukhei moves onto his neck. Yukhei doesn't need to ask to discover that's a weak spot for Hendery, since he makes a strained noise at the feeling of Yukhei's mouth running all over his neck.

“I'm going to need your pants off too, though,” Hendery admits, breathless. Yukhei smiles against the crook of his neck, pleased, and slowly sucks until Hendery moans again. Hendery wants to erase that tiny show of power, so he encircles Yukhei’s waist and brings him down, their bodies perfectly fitting against each other. Yukhei is so big that it’s nice to feel all that weight on him, and Hendery has trouble to say, “What do you want for that?”

Yukhei is hard under his jeans, that's the first thing Hendery notices. Not almost there, or just half-hard, but painfully strained under the rough fabric of his pants. Hendery would pity him for it, but the noise Yukhei makes when his erection rubs on Hendery's thigh is satisfying, and he even considers keeping their clothes for longer just to rile Yukhei up. That thought gets punched out of him as Yukhei sits up and unzips his pants, well aware of how he looks underneath; Hendery feels lightheaded at the sight of his hipbones, only has a tiny second to appreciate the difference in width between his shoulders and his hips. Yukhei lets Hendery admire his body, slightly pleased, but no matter how much Hendery looks at him, he can't get used to how perfect Yukhei is.

“Your number,” Yukhei breathes out. Hendery forces himself to glance up at his face, and it takes him a moment to remember what they were talking about. They were making a deal; Yukhei's shirt for his pants, Hendery's number for Yukhei's pants. Yukhei smiles, big and ironically innocent. “But after this you might be the one begging for it.”

Hendery barks a laugh, impressed by the lack of shame. “All I hear is talk.”

That accusation seems to ruffle Yukhei's feathers. Hendery supposes that the fastest way to offend an athlete is to insinuate they can't match up to their words, so he notes that down. Yukhei dedicates him a long, sultry look, which only works because he's shirtless and his chest is more distracting than Hendery is disposed to admit.

“You're kind of insufferable, you know?” Yukhei questions him. He's probably right. From the fight at the booth to this, Hendery’s life goal is making this harder than it should have ever been. But it's fun. He bets Yukhei never has to work for it, and he should appreciate the change, the _effort_. “You're lucky you're this cute.”

The veiled compliment sets a smile on Hendery's face, but that contentment vanishes when Yukhei's hands shoot to his zipper. Yukhei leans forward, looking into his eyes, drinking from Hendery’s expression as he makes an inevitable noise. Instead of teasing him about it, Yukhei seamlessly slips his jeans off and throws them to the side. It's weird that Hendery doesn't feel exposed, not even when Yukhei caresses down his thighs, his palms so big that they completely cover the width of Hendery's thighs.

Yukhei tilts forward again, pressing a kiss to Hendery's mouth, but he keeps stroking between his legs. He rubs his palm around his boner, as if to ask for Hendery’s permission, but Hendery can just answer by buckling up into his hand.

“You've been acting pretty silly just because I'm cute,” Hendery points out.

It's a jab to tease him, but it backfires. Yukhei is over him, so he just has to pull down Hendery's underwear to shut him up. And indeed Hendery shuts up, feeling his dick curl up, Yukhei's lips drowning him in another kiss that turns out to be messier this time.

Only when Yukhei wraps a hand around his dick, he answers Hendery's teasing with, “I've got nothing to say against that. Would do it again.”

Hendery forgets about everything else. He forgets his words, his logic and his shame, and he's barely conscious of how Yukhei’s fingers jerk him off like they’ve been together a hundred times before. He shuts his eyes close and arches on the bed, hooking a leg over Yukhei’s thigh and ignoring his small laughs. He doesn’t mind if Yukhei finds his sensitiveness funny; there’s nothing he can do while Yukhei’s hand is tightening around his dick. From then on, they move deliciously fast, and soon there aren't any clothes to barricade them. In a few minutes Yukhei has moved onto spreading lube over Hendery's dick and between his legs, and the warmth that expands from his groin to the rest of his body has him flushing all over. The lube is sticky and warm too, and when Yukhei uses the lube between them to rub on each other, it's heaven.

Hendery hides his face against Yukhei's collarbones when he starts moving, but he can't keep his noises in line. Yukhei softly falls on him, presses their dicks against each other and purposely traps them between their abdomens. Maybe it's because Hendery hasn't been touched in a long time, but the friction makes him squirm and moan, and that just seems to encourage Yukhei further. Yukhei has to push him back on the bed a few times because Hendery is latching onto him with too much force, but Hendery isn't embarrassed. Yukhei's dark gaze tells him that he just wants to see Hendery's face, that he wants to bathe in the bliss and in the noises he lets out.

“I wanted to have you like this,” Yukhei muses, so low that Hendery wonders if he's speaking to himself. He can just hum to let Yukhei know that he's listening, but the tension around his dick blocks his other senses. “You look even prettier.”

Hendery makes an effort to open his eyes, the weight of pleasure too heavy for him to stay alert.

“Get me ready,” he manages to say, throat closing when he hears Yukhei quietly groan. “I need this so fucking much.”

That small revelation doesn't faze Yukhei, maybe because he can’t put it in context. Instead he follows his plea, rolling off him and stretching an arm to look for more lube in the bedside table. This time he fishes out a condom too, and Hendery is relieved that he didn't have to ask for it. It’s a short pause amidst chaos, but Yukhei sends him a sweet smile when they meet eyes, aware that Hendery is _thinking_ again.

It’s the first time Hendery can seize Yukhei’s body in its full glory, from his wide shoulders to his marked hips, and then to his full thighs. His dick is thick and pretty, too, which proves that the universe definitely put too much effort in only one human and forgot about the rest. Yukhei catches him staring, but he simply arches his eyebrows and taps Hendery’s thighs so that he opens up.

Hendery doesn’t know what to expect, but for sure he doesn’t expect Yukhei to look at him in awe. As he takes in the view of Hendery spread for him, there's a hunger in his eyes that wasn't there before. Hendery doesn't remember the last time someone looked at him that way in bed, but a knot of nerves blossoms in his stomach. Most of his hook-ups were with guys that found him cute, yes, but their main goal was getting off, having sex; the difference is that Yukhei wants to fuck Hendery, specifically _him_ , and this isn't just Yukhei picking a random stranger to stick his dick somewhere.

“I can't believe you came with me,” Yukhei mutters then, gaze lingering between Hendery's legs.

Hendery has trouble to follow his words, because Yukhei's huge palm slips over his ass and the lube is a bit colder than before. It gets warms when Yukhei massages a few times, but by then Hendery is more focused on the vibration shaking through his dick.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Hendery grunts at him. He throws his head back on the bed, feeling Yukhei's fingers play around his rim. Yukhei makes a noise very similar to a scoff, but he's too affected to sound arrogant. “Don't look like the type?”

Hendery regrets the question right away. Yukhei's answer comes in the form of a finger slipping inside him, except Yukhei's fingers are long and big and the stretch leaves Hendery speechless. It feels strangely good, too good to be just a finger, but maybe it's because Hendery has missed sex in general, or because he has accumulated too much tension.

“Thought you'd have too many options to take this one,” Yukhei says then, like he can't notice Hendery's pleasure. He settles a hand on his hip, though, and that's how Hendery knows that Yukhei is paying attention. Yukhei slowly caresses there to relax him, and Hendery tries, aware that he's going to embarrass himself otherwise. “Maybe you do have them, don't you? But it's not that easy to deal with that mouth of yours.”

Hendery can't laugh at that. Part of him still wants to fight Yukhei and play hard to get, but all he does is touching Yukhei's side with his foot, as if to push him away. Yukhei lets out a low laugh, pressing harder into him, and before Hendery can mold to his size, Yukhei pushes another finger in.

Hendery can't help but gasp a broken, “Holy shit.”

“Sorry,” Yukhei immediately says, but he doesn't look apologetic. Their gazes meet, and Hendery reads the impatience, the painful wait Yukhei is doing when all he wants to do is fuck him against the mattress. He draws a mocking smile for Hendery and challenges him, “You can take more than that, right?”

For a moment, Hendery wonders what would happen if he said no. Under that veil of confidence, Yukhei looks so desperate and riled up that Hendery bets he'd accept anything, that he'd even settle for a handjob. It would be funny to play with that, but Hendery swears he'll explode if he doesn't get something better from Yukhei tonight.

“Try me,” Hendery breathes out, a boldness that doesn't accompany the little moan that slips past his lips. “I can take you.”

That's all Yukhei needs. He pulls his fingers out without any tenderness, eyes happily squinting at Hendery's hiss, and then he hovers over him for a kiss. Hendery takes the chance with open arms, tugs Yukhei down by his hair just to have another taste of his tongue; and Yukhei gives him just that, lapping his tongue against his until both of them are moaning. Hendery burns from head to toe, and when Yukhei breaks the kiss, he's certain there must be a deep blush on his cheeks. Yukhei touches there with his thumb, but he doesn't smile, just admires in silence.

“Want you on all fours,” Yukhei mutters, oblivious to how Hendery shivers with excitement. The naïve look he sends Hendery is a start contrast to his words, but somehow that just makes Hendery's guts tighten. “Yeah?”

Hendery doesn't answer, but he sits up and spins around, too impatient to waste time with questions. He understands Yukhei doesn't want to go too fast and scare him, but Hendery needs him inside him, not _speaking_ , and he needs him now.

Yukhei gets the hint, his fingertips digging into Hendery's hips as he maneuvers him over and puts the condom on. Hendery doesn't even try to stay on his hands, because he knows that Yukhei is going to turn him into a mess in a matter of seconds, and Yukhei doesn't mention anything when Hendery directly sinks down to his elbows.

Yukhei isn't tender, but he's quite careful at first. Hendery feels the head of Yukhei's dick rub on him a few times, either to slick himself with more lube or to prepare Hendery, and he hears Yukhei pant when he visibly relaxes to take him in. Hendery even has to push his hips back to let him know that he should go on, but once Yukhei understands him, it spirals out of control.

Yukhei pushes in, slow but firm, and Hendery’s whole word collapses around him. Hendery sinks his face into the bed, a moan ripping through his throat, but Yukhei's own groan muffles his. Yukhei's dick stretches him open, a reminder that he should have been more patient with his fingers. Hendery feels so full that he doesn't mind that it's uncomfortable at first, he even appreciates it, his thighs trembling and pleasure shooting through him as soon as Yukhei moves.

“Oh my god,” Hendery muses against the sheets.

For a while, all Hendery sees is white before his eyes, all he feels is fire inside him and Yukhei's warm, stabilizing hands on him. Only when Yukhei picks up a pace, Hendery manages to adjust around him, still too tight to let Yukhei speed up. Yukhei bends over him to press a kiss on his back and uses that as an excuse to bottom out all the way in – both of them grunt at the same time, and Hendery chokes on his own saliva, but the sensation that shoots through every one of his nerves is worth it.

“You feel so good,” Yukhei mumbles against his back. He drags his mouth down his spine, warm and wet, and Hendery unconsciously rubs back on his dick. “So hot.”

Hendery doesn't know what he replies, just a messy jumble of words. That doesn't surprise Yukhei, but he must be used to breaking people down like this, and Hendery isn't the least bit offended.

Yukhei is big, but the way he moves his hips is the key; the way he leads their movements at first, stopping when Hendery needs it, speeding up when he knows he's hitting the right spots. Hendery doesn't last on all fours for long, because Yukhei's hands on his hips bring him closer and closer, and Hendery's desperation makes him fuck himself against Yukhei. He ends up only on his knees, meeting Yukhei's thrusts and leaning his back on Yukhei's chest. Yukhei welcomes him, bites and kisses his neck until Hendery is a mess in his arms, but it feels so much better this way. Hendery can turn his head and kiss Yukhei on the mouth, he can feel every tiny quirk of Yukhei’s lips when he gets what he wants from Hendery; he can see the urge, the intent in Yukhei's face every time Hendery’s moans become cries.

Hendery runs his mouth, and though he doesn’t know what exactly comes out of his mouth while Yukhei fucks him, it seems to amuse him. Hendery isn't ashamed of that habit, _god,_ he's aware of it, but he talks a lot more when it’s just not his hand around his dick. He just hopes that he's not musing anything worse than praises for Yukhei's dick or for handsome he is; whatever it is, Yukhei answers with breathy _yeah?_ and harder thrusts, and Hendery can’t feel guilty when that is the reward.

He has no idea how he manages to last so long, but when he feels the heat pool inside him, he knows that if Yukhei rubs on the right spot a couple more times, he's going to come untouched.

“Close,” Hendery says, not sure if his words are clear. Judging how Yukhei wraps his arms around him, he understands him, and Hendery feels the jerk of Yukhei's hand on his dick. “Please.”

Even though Yukhei is as gone as him, he still teases him, “What are you pleading for?”

Hendery doesn't know if that tiny bit of humiliation is what sends him to his edge, the fact that he's saying please when Yukhei is already giving it to him; he just knows that it's more than Yukhei fucking into him. Maybe it's just that Yukhei is incredibly attractive, that he fucks like that's the only thing he's done in his entire life, and he's disposed to do anything Hendery says.

Yukhei doesn't even have to wrap Hendery's dick properly; it's a little touch of his fingers and, along the next thrust, Hendery feels the knot of pleasure explode, a blinding light that covers his sight, his muscles going numb and a desperate moan ripping through his throat. He’s barely aware of how he collapses against Yukhei, mouth open in pleasure and his whole body pulsing in waves, but he can't miss the kiss Yukhei leaves on the corner of his lips.

The next thing Hendery knows is that he's lying on his back, Yukhei's hands at his sides and his pace becoming erratic with every stroke. Hendery could get hard just by looking at Yukhei's expression while he fucks him, but he's too overwhelmed to focus; instead he grabs Yukhei by the ass to drag him deeper, to feel how his muscles tense with the silent invitation, how Yukhei clashes against him to chase his own orgasm.

“Shit,” Yukhei says, but it's almost a grumble, his Adam's apple moving when he swallows his own moan. Hendery wants to kiss him so bad, but Yukhei shuts his eyes close, the veins of his arms bulging, and Hendery caresses him there. Voice broken, Yukhei asks, “Can I come on you?”

Yukhei is about to come, so he needs a quick reply, and Hendery considers torturing him. But he looks too cute, undone over him, and Hendery wants to see him come in whatever Yukhei wants to. Such a pretty boy doesn’t deserve to suffer Hendery’s antics right now, and beyond that, Hendery wants to revel in Yukhei’s bliss too.

“Come,” is all Hendery tells him, and Yukhei doesn't hesitate to obey him.

He thrusts all the way in one last time and Hendery clenches around him on purpose, laughing when Yukhei falters and nearly falls on him. Yukhei doesn’t come then, but Hendery feels him harden inside him, and he lasts long enough to pull out. He bites his lower lip, takes off his condom, and jerks himself off as he comes all over Hendery's inner thighs.

Hendery catches his breath, Yukhei’s warm cum dripping between his legs, too speechless to do anything but enjoy Yukhei’s groan. It's a sight to see, Yukhei's whole body tensing up and his hooded eyes looking at Hendery like that's all he needs to satiate his drive. The last breathy moan he releases shakes through Hendery too, and Yukhei immediately looks for his lips, his relief fusing into Hendery's welcoming mouth.

Hendery runs his fingers through Yukhei's hair while they kiss, a wave of exhaustion taking over, and Yukhei looks disoriented when he detaches from him. He stares at Hendery with a hint of curiosity, and Hendery returns the same look, with the only difference that he can’t repress the tiny smile twitching on his lips. Yukhei kisses the corner of his smile, and then plants a few pecks over the line of his jaw, still panting.

“Good to know you're into that,” Hendery softly shoots at him.

Yukhei doesn't bite the bait, much to Hendery's surprise. Maybe it's because the orgasm left him happy and relaxed, but he rolls on his side to give Hendery space, a triumphant smile on his face.

“Thank you,” Yukhei says, and he sounds so sincere, so pleased that Hendery has the urge to laugh at him. Gratitude is the last thing he's expecting from a hook-up, because he should be thanking Yukhei too in that case. “We should do that again.”

Hendery wordlessly glances at him, torn between suspicions and relief. By the time Hendery tries to study his expression, Yukhei has already torn his gaze away from him. He doesn't seem aware of what his words imply, or perhaps they’re not a big deal for him, but it’s important for Hendery. He feels his sanity vanish as Yukhei reaches for the wipes and cleans him up, maneuvering over the bed to not accidentally knee Hendery. If Yukhei notices all the attention, the way Hendery observes him with prying eyes, he doesn’t mention it. And when they lie side by side, chatting for a while until Yukhei falls asleep, Hendery doesn’t have the heart to point out that Yukhei’s arm is still perched around his waist, or that their legs are tucked together, small caresses that make Hendery’s heart leap out of his chest.

With the promise of sex on the table, and Yukhei’s sweet, calmed semblance before him, Hendery is definitely giving him his phone number in the morning.

In the next week, prejudice betrays Hendery again.

Even if Yukhei hasn't given him any reasons to assume that he's only going to hit him up for sex, that's what Hendery expects. He's not upset – not entirely – because after all, Yukhei is just another boy that found him pretty and decided to drag him into his bed. That's all. Hendery has done this before, has even reached the blurred point of exchanging numbers, but usually this is where it ends.

However, Hendery should have learned by then that Yukhei – the football player that wasn't straight, soulless or a jerk, those traits that Hendery imposed on him right away – wouldn't stick to the pattern.

The first message arrives two days later, while Hendery is in class and after a long conversation with Dejun about whether he liked Yukhei in bed or not. He recognizes the name on his phone screen and immediately suspects that this is Dejun's doing: that he told Kun, and Kun told Yukhei, and now Yukhei knows that he has the upper hand and can convince Hendery for another round of sex.

But Yukhei has sent him a, _you're not at the booth anymore?_ and a crying emoji to accompany, and Hendery blinks down at the screen for a whole minute, speechless. Even though he doesn't trust Yukhei's intentions, maybe because Hendery's own brain keeps redirecting him to the memory of Yukhei naked and moaning, he can't ignore the message. Not forever, at least. He could cross paths with Yukhei and now that they know each other, Hendery is certain Yukhei wouldn’t mind asking him why he left him on read.

“I don't know what's going on,” Hendery confesses to Dejun three days later and around two hundred messages exchanged with Yukhei over the phone. “Who even texts this much?”

They're in the small cafe next to Hendery's faculty, where they nested with their laptops and a couple of sweetened drinks to spend the afternoon. Dejun complained that he had too much work to be with Hendery, but five minutes after arriving at the cafe he wouldn't stop talking, so Hendery knows that it was an excuse to stay with Kun. He feels proud of himself for winning over Kun for once, but he doesn't rub it on his face.

“You're overthinking this,” Dejun warns him, peeking at him over his laptop. Whether he pities Hendery and his confusion or not, is irrelevant, because Dejun never lies to him. “He seems interested in you, why is that so bad?”

Because Hendery thinks Yukhei is a little too good for him. One of those overachievers that are used to working their ass off to get a scholarship, become an important athlete and stay on top of their academic life. The fact that Yukhei has time for boys too is unnerving. Or that he's that handsome, or that nice, or that perfect in general. It's like someone flipped a coin and the lucky side had Yukhei's face on it. He should have a small dick to compensate energies, Hendery thinks, but the universe wouldn’t even grant him that.

“Because we slept together,” Hendery grunts at last, not disposed to expose the rest of his humiliating thoughts.

Dejun sends him a skeptical look.

“And he's not allowed to be your friend because of that?” His reasoning is nonsensical, Hendery knows that, but he nods either way, “You sound nervous. Like you think being friends with him isn't a good idea because you're afraid-”

“Don't say it,” Hendery cuts him off, more coldly than he intends to. He knows the next words anyway: it's not a good idea because he's afraid he could get attached to Yukhei beyond sex. It seems quite easy, indeed, and that's not fair for Hendery. Squinting his eyes at Dejun, he adds, “What do you know? I can feel that Kun is passing information to you.”

“He's basically my boyfriend, dude. He doesn't pass information, he _talks_ to me,” Dejun replies. Hendery's mouth falls open, and Dejun laughs at him without any shame. “Relax, okay? Kun says Yukhei has a crush on you. Not the sex-only kind of crush, which considering how jittery you've been, is good news.” Dejun frowns at him, evaluating, completely unaware that Hendery's heart goes wild at the word _crush_. “Don't make that face. It's not that awful to have a hot guy that is good in bed want to go on dates with you. Just give him the chance you're dying to give him.”

Hendery wants to protest, to claim that the interest isn't reciprocal. But he's here, in a cafe with Dejun once his classes have finished just because he needed to talk to someone about Yukhei. Hendery isn't even dealing with Yukhei in person, which makes it even more pathetic. He's nervous over exchanging messages with a boy he's already slept with.

But his brain short-circuits and all Hendery can utter is, “Are we going to ignore you said Kun is your boyfriend?”

Dejun rolls his eyes at him.

“Yes.”

Hendery doesn't have the courage or the strength to retort, and maybe that's why Dejun has decided to drop the bomb today. Now that Hendery has his own boy problems, he doesn't have the mental space to worry about Dejun and Kun's relationship. Yukhei occupies a big percentage of his thoughts, and the rest is dedicated to not dying before college ends, or alternatively, outlasting Ten.

When Hendery's screen lights up again, he can't help but blush. Dejun eyes the phone with such a judgmental expression that Hendery can even hear his voice inside his head. Maybe he's right, maybe Hendery is ridiculous for indulging Yukhei yet not accepting that he wants this.

Hendery casts his gaze down, reading the message. _Do you want to meet after practice tomorrow?_ it says, only that, as if Yukhei had proposed that a hundred times before. It doesn't specify if he means hanging out alone, with his teammates, or with his actual friends. Not that it matters, Hendery realizes. He doesn't give a fuck; the mere idea of seeing Yukhei again makes his chest overflow with nervousness. It's a good, fulfilling sensation.

“If it's for fucking, the answer is yes,” Dejun says, interrupting Hendery’s personal revelation. He's even not looking at him anymore, just at his laptop as he types, and Hendery is relieved Dejun didn't see his reaction. “And if it's not, the answer is still yes.”

Hendery bites his inner cheek and answers with an enthusiastic _sure!!_ which makes him cringe one second later.

“You're terrible,” he accuses Dejun, however, like he's not currently saving him from his own record of bad, cowardly decisions.

Dejun scoffs, and then he holds up his pinky, as though he's counting the favors Hendery owes him. “Thank me later. I'll remember this one.”

Hendery's life-changing realization is that, no matter how many times he sees Yukhei, he’ll always forget how gorgeous Yukhei is in person.

They decide to meet outside the football's court, which in retrospection isn't a good place for Hendery, since half of Yukhei's teammates wave and greet him like they've been friends for years. Hendery remembers more faces than last time, but he's still shy, especially now that they might know what happened with Yukhei on the night of the match.

Yukhei leaves the court last, either on purpose or because he's truly the slowest among his peers. Either way Hendery is grateful for that unplanned privacy. He needs a few seconds to control his own heart as Yukhei smiles at him from the entrance, his big bag over his shoulder and one hand up to wave at him. Hendery responds with a trail of hesitation, but Yukhei doesn't find it weird, just approaches him with long strides and an unbreakable grin on his face.

It's impossible to be nervous around Yukhei, not when he smiles down at him with so much honesty, and Hendery finds himself grinning from ear to ear. It's quite exciting to find out that Yukhei is as happy as him, vibrating with so much energy that his attitude becomes contagious. Hendery doesn’t need to ask: Yukhei didn't hit him up just for sex.

“Hey,” Yukhei says, fiddling with the strap of his bag. His gaze eagerly drops down to Hendery's mouth, his smile vanishing by the second, and his voice softens, “Can I?”

Hendery nods before he can even think what the hell he's doing, what _they_ are doing. The scream in his head disappears when Yukhei leans down and pecks his lips, however, and Hendery doesn't regret it at all. The shot of relief that extends through his whole body is proof that he's fine with kissing Yukhei again, even if they're in public.

It's just that friends don't greet each other with a kiss on the mouth, hence why Yukhei had to ask for permission first. Hence why this is clearly not a _friendly_ meeting.

But Yukhei doesn't seem to notice the silent question in Hendery's eyes, since he just cocks his head to the side and asks, “Are you hungry? I know a polish place that makes amazing borsch.”

“That sounds great,” Hendery distractedly says, though he doesn’t know what borsch is, and he’s never tried polish food. Yukhei can see that Hendery’s gaze is still fixed on his mouth, but he doesn't make fun of him for it. It's too late to pretend, anyhow. “Shall we?”

Hendery doesn't know if it's a date, but the restaurant turns out to be pretty nice. A bit expensive too, and the staff looks weirdly at Yukhei for carrying a huge sports bag to dinner. Hendery finds out that he likes that, though: Yukhei doesn't have an ounce of shame in him. If people want to judge him, he doesn't care, and that makes Hendery feel comfortable. He was the first to judge Yukhei, and if that had been a problem for him, then they wouldn't be here; there's something pure about that, something that Hendery doesn't want to let go of.

For that same reason, Yukhei is very direct with his questions. He pries into Hendery's life, reminding him from time to time that he doesn't have to answer if he doesn't want to. Hendery is overwhelmed at first, but Yukhei offers as much of his life as Hendery does, so they stay on the same level, and he enjoys discovering small secrets about Yukhei’s life.

They go through their dating records, their majors, their friends – Yukhei mentions more than once that he's been trying to make Kun confess to Dejun for half a year, which doesn't come off as a surprise – and only by the end of the dinner, does Yukhei mention their night together.

“It's not that I regret it, you know?” Yukhei tells him, dipping his spoon into the dessert. “But I feel that- well, I lost some of my self-control there. When I first saw you my intentions were asking for your number and going on a date to see if we clicked, not inviting you to a party and sleeping with you.”

Hendery watches him, trying to find the cracks and discover that Yukhei is lying. But he's not. Just like Hendery doesn't do casual hook-ups that often, Yukhei might be the same. Hendery wouldn't mind if he was the type, but he admits that he would feel a tingle of jealousy. A bit possessive because the idea of sharing Yukhei bothers him.

“You're doing that but in the opposite order,” Hendery points out, lifting his eyebrows as if to ask, to pressure Yukhei to contradict him and tell him this isn't a date. Yukhei gives him a small smile, quiet acceptance that rumbles inside Hendery like a lion, and Hendery smiles back at him. “To be honest, I wouldn't have given you my number if you had asked at the booth. Do you know how many guys do that?”

“God, I told Yangyang _just that.”_ Yukhei drops his spoon, a mixture of frustration and relief in his semblance, and then studies Hendery's confusion. He explains, “Yangyang is one of my teammates. These losers were so sure that it was the perfect strategy to catch your eye.”

Hendery has to repress the first five replies that rest on his tongue. It's hilarious that someone like Yukhei would resort to other boys’ advice for many reasons: he isn't coy, he's confident, and he's incredibly handsome. Hendery is sure he could pick up boys just by breathing; in fact, Yukhei convinced him just by bickering with him, so it’s not an insane supposition.

“You're already eye-catching,” Hendery mutters, settling for the least lewd thought in his head. Yukhei lifts his head again, in shock, and Hendery feels a wave of embarrassment at his own words. “Don't pull that face, _you know_ that you're handsome.”

Instead of agreeing with him, Yukhei shakes his head.

“It's not that. It's the first time you’ve complimented me,” he explains. And it only takes Hendery a moment to process that it's true. Even in bed, it was Yukhei praising him, not the other way around; Hendery must be a hard rock to crack for Yukhei, but he isn’t doing it on purpose. “I think I'll pull as many faces as I want to.”

Hendery decides not to put up a fight over that. Yukhei looks quite happy with the compliment, and maybe, just maybe, Hendery thinks he's cute.

“Wong Yukhei.”

Hendery snaps his head up at the name, not feeling the rush of adrenaline that he should be feeling. Ten slams his hands down on the table, and this is a problem for two reasons: one, they're in the library, and two, Ten shouldn't even know that name. Hendery already got expelled from the philosophy's library because of Ten at the beginning of the year, some argument about the mechanics of the association that tugged them into a loud fight, and he refuses to get banned from more libraries. He needs a place to study when his roommate is bringing people over.

Wondering how Ten found him, Hendery sends him a bored glance, “What about him?”

For better or for worse, that seems to be the answer Ten is looking for.

“So it's true. You're hooking up with him.”

Hendery shushes him, alarmed, gesturing for him to sit down. They're starting to attract attention, and he and Yukhei might not be a secret, but no one needs to know who gets into his bed.

“How did you reach that conclusion?” Hendery protests, pushing his textbook away to frown at Ten with all his energy. “I know him, that doesn't mean-”

Ten shuts him up with a glare, clicking his tongue, and Hendery, who's already well-versed with Ten’s intelligence, decides not to tempt his luck.

“Jaemin told me his part of the story,” Ten confesses, smile wide. That's terrible news, because it implies that Ten knows that Hendery went to a party with him, because of him, and that Yukhei liked him enough to invite him in the first place. And, since Jaemin asked about it later, he must know that there was sex involved. “God, Hendery, do you know for how long I've been trying to recruit Wong Yukhei? A popular gay football player that people love vouching for, in our association, do you realize how that sounds?”

Hendery would have never imagined that was the reason Ten looks this enthusiastic about his new relationship, but instead of pleasing him, it sets Hendery's alarms off. Yukhei isn't a gay loved football player – he's not just that, and the feeling wrenching inside his stomach tells him that he cares about Yukhei more than he thought. He doesn't want Ten to use Yukhei's social life as a weapon, not even for their own _cause_. If Yukhei wanted to join the association, he would have asked Hendery about it.

“If he's not interested, why would you insist?” Hendery retorts, much to Ten's shock. It's obvious that Ten isn't expecting a negative, and he looks at Hendery with interest, wordless. “Ten, you can't recruit everyone we sleep with just because we slept with them, got it?”

Hendery has no idea what's so funny about him, but Ten leans back on the chair and grins at him. That's the worst reaction Ten could have: it makes Hendery nervous, since he doesn't understand what's running through his mind, since all of a sudden Hendery feels self-conscious and exposed.

Maybe the rumor has gone too far. He's been sleeping with Yukhei for weeks now, so it was just natural that it reached Ten's ears one way or another. But only Dejun and Kun know that they're seeing each other pretty often, that it isn't always about fucking, and that Yukhei has already invited him to a couple of _study dates_.

“I said no. He's busy,” Hendery insists, choosing to interpret Ten's silence as pressure. It's not a lie: the last thing Yukhei needs is another responsibility. “He doesn't even have that much time for me, I won't let you ruin my sex chances.”

Ten nods, pensive. “Interesting.”

Hendery has the urge to throw a pen at Ten, the itch of shame gnawing at him from within. He suspects Ten’s thoughts, his conclusions, the intelligent glint in his eyes, and Hendery isn't disposed to have this talk with him first, not among all his friends. Dejun is better at giving advice when it comes to feelings, while Ten is an expert in sexuality matters. And Hendery doesn't have sexuality problems, that's pretty clear; he just has a boy problem.

“This isn't interesting.” Hendery glowers at Ten, grasps his textbook again and places it on its edge in an attempt to block Ten's face from his view. “Come back when you want to talk about Mark following you everywhere like he's your pet, and you _allowing_ it. Then we'll talk about Yukhei.”

Ten doesn't get mad at him. He's perfectly conscious of his relationship with Mark, and he doesn't have to give Hendery any explanations. Ten is a wall, however, and if there's a possibility he needs to discuss _Mark_ , he's not going to admit it out loud.

He easily deflects, shaking his head like Hendery has no remedy. “You might not want him in, but I bet the boy would join just to spend more time with you. Am I wrong?”

Hendery gapes at Ten, but his friend doesn't wait for the confirmation. That thought never crossed Hendery's mind, and Ten is planting the seed of doubt on purpose, just so that Hendery asks and checks if Yukhei would be capable of going that far. It would be pretty neat proof that Hendery isn't the only one mingling sex and feelings, but the leap of faith might ruin him.

The problem isn't just a problem. It isn’t a simple _boy problem_ either.

It's a very big boy problem, with warm brown eyes and a laugh that reverberates in Hendery's memory even when he's gone. There’s no going back.

But it gets scarier than that.

Yukhei slips into Hendery’s routine like he has always been part of it. They meet after his practices every day, and apart from some exceptional days, they spend Yukhei's only free day together too. Hendery gets to know Yangyang and the rest of his teammates, and before he can think twice about what he's doing, he's hanging out with Kun, Dejun and half of Yukhei's friends on a daily basis.

Even though Yukhei dedicates most of his time to studying, his goal is sucking Hendery into his plans. At first their perfect spot to study is the library, since it's a neutral place, but one day it's full of people and they have no option but give Yukhei's dorm a chance. It’s a mistake on the long run. After that, their study sessions are a mixture of kissing, bickering, eating and _occasionally_ studying. Yukhei tends to lend Hendery his bed when he wants to take a nap, but all in all, Hendery's grades improve just because he studies more than he's used to. On those days in which he only accepts Yukhei’s invitation because he wants to be with him, Hendery watches Yukhei study, frowning at his notes, and listens to him if he needs to recite his lessons out loud.

Hendery has no idea when sex becomes natural for them. He has no idea when they stop asking, tiptoeing around each other like they could make a fatal mistake, when Yukhei becomes so honest in bed that Hendery can't help but soften. He doesn't know when they develop the habit of lazily kissing after coming on or inside each other, when they start talking about anything and everything until the sun rises and Yukhei falls asleep on him, legs entangled and fingers caressing through each other’s hair.

It's easy to find excuses, however. If Yukhei strokes his neck and looks into his eyes when he's coming, it's because they trust each other enough for that. If Hendery wants to ditch every plan and duty for Yukhei, it's because he's good company – and because orgasms are addictive, and Yukhei is really good at them. If Yukhei constantly asks him if he's eaten and slept, and if Yukhei even argues with Ten once because he requires Hendery's help too often, it's because he's a sweet person, not because he cares about Hendery in a special way.

There's an alarming lack of explanations for other details. Dejun loves pointing them out and observing Hendery crumble in front of his eyes, but Hendery insists in coming up with logical reasons. He can't explain why he attends all of Yukhei's matches, for example. The reality is that Yukhei invites him, and Hendery likes how happy he looks when he spots Hendery in the bleachers. He can't tell that to Dejun though, not without admitting that they've gone too far. He can't explain why both of them become exclusive either. They don't even have to _discuss_ it. Yukhei asks him one night if he wants to see other boys, and when Hendery thinks for a moment and shakes his head in deny, Yukhei just smiles and mutters _me neither_.

Hendery has Yukhei, and that's more than enough.

“Since when do you hold hands in public?” Dejun pointedly asks him after picking him up from Yukhei's dorm, since he insisted in having dinner with Hendery. He catches them in the building's entrance, distractedly playing with each other's hands until Dejun pins them down with an evil look. “How immoral. Some people are single, you know?”

Hendery freezes at the implications of his words, but Yukhei laughs out loud, his eyes glinting towards Dejun. He doesn't let go of Hendery's hand; on the contrary, he intertwines their fingers together and gives him a soft squeeze.

“You can't say that yourself, Dejun,” Yukhei accuses him. His attention returns to Hendery, and Hendery glances back, taken aback with the whole situation. He's sure Yukhei notices the blush on his face and the confusion etched on his expression, but it's hard to feel wronged when Yukhei looks at him. “But if it's jealousy, I can understand that.”

“I wouldn't touch Hendery even if you paid me,” Dejun smartly retorts, and then obviates the indignant noise that escapes Hendery's mouth. Yukhei mimics cutting his own throat as a threat for Dejun, but Dejun just mocks him. “Come on, give him back. Or do you want to come with us?”

“It's fine, I have stuff to take care of,” Yukhei declines. Hendery is still confused at the exchange, at the way Dejun addresses Yukhei like he's stealing Hendery from him; considering how much time they spend together, he might as well be. “Have fun.”

Despite the teasing, Hendery still reaches up for a kiss without thinking twice, and Yukhei meets him halfway. It's normal for them to kiss each other when they say goodbye, it doesn't matter if their friends are around or not. Dejun has seen them kiss a thousand times, but when Hendery draws away and glances at his friend, he realizes the kiss today has a different effect.

“Hendery,” Dejun breathes into his ear as he tugs him away. Hendery looks back at Yukhei to make sure that he can't hear the nonsense Dejun is about to spill, but Yukhei has stepped back into the building and there's no sight of him. “As someone who has gone through this before, I feel the duty to tell you: that boy is your boyfriend.”

Hendery should have expected that. Dejun has been trying to bring up the topic every day this week, just to get shut down because Hendery wasn't in the mood. That's why he's just thrown that joke at Yukhei one minute ago: to check his reaction, to see if Yukhei would hurry to deny their relationship like Hendery usually does. But he didn’t. They didn't, because Hendery would never dare to deny that in front of Yukhei – it feels wrong, even deceitful.

“Now you're trying to complicate my life,” Hendery groans.

“I'm not.” Dejun motions towards his car, but Hendery knows that it'll become a questioning cage in a matter of seconds, so he takes his time. Dejun watches him sink into the seat, eyebrows lifted with skepticism. “You could have a ring on your finger and you'd still say you're not sure about Yukhei's feelings.”

That feels like a low blow.

“I know that he likes me, I'm not in denial,” Hendery contradicts him. That small confession doesn't convince Dejun, judging how his lips quirk up. Hendery decides to focus on looking through the window while Dejun starts the car, and only with the sound of the engine tucking his words, he adds, “I like him too. That doesn't mean we're-”

“Ask him,” Dejun interrupts him, but the edge in his voice isn't playful anymore. It's serious, nearly desperate, and when Hendery dares to gaze at him, Dejun's frown deepens. “Please, just ask him, I beg you. He looked so confused at your reaction.”

Hendery stays silent, a wave of anxiety crippling his thoughts. Even if Dejun doesn't mention it out loud, he must have seen something worrisome between them, something that hurt Yukhei. The mere idea of hurting Yukhei sends Hendery into pure guilt and regret. He's supposed to be there for Yukhei, to make him happy, and Hendery can't be the only person in his life that fails him. All his friends and teammates adore him, and it’s an adoration he deserves, but Hendery wants to give him that too.

After a long silence, Hendery mutters, “What reaction?”

“When I insinuated you two weren't single, you were _scared_ ,” Dejun tells him. There's no accusation in his tone, but Hendery flinches. He can imagine his own face, he can imagine what Yukhei saw, and his stomach drops so fast that he feels dizzy. “Hendery, I know you like him, and it's fine if you don't want anything serious despite that. But you need to come clean. He deserves that.”

Hendery can't even bring himself to answer. The knot in his throat is so thick that he'll sound broken, and he's not ready to take a decision. He knows that he doesn't want to lose Yukhei, but he feels that breaking what they have, putting a label on it, might ruin it. Yukhei has never given him reasons to think that he wants to retreat, that he's afraid of falling too deep and drowning. It's Hendery who is afraid. And within, Hendery is aware that since the beginning, his own insecurity is what has provoked their lack of development: a part of Hendery still believes that Yukhei can find someone better than him, that Hendery can’t match up to everything Yukhei is.

Yukhei makes him happy. Yukhei gives him security, butterflies, and orgasms, and at this point Hendery can't picture his life without him. They've threaded their days around each other, and Hendery is more than okay with that.

It takes Hendery exactly one week.

If Yukhei notices his long silences and the strange stares full of tension and doubts, he ignores them. He gives him space without questioning Hendery’s behavior. It's not a matter of courage, but every time Hendery finds enough strength in him to formulate the right question in his head, it gets stuck like a sharp, pointy rock in his throat. Whether they're at the library or in their rooms, in a restaurant or drinking with their friends, Hendery looks at Yukhei and his determination vanishes. Yukhei is content with what they have, or at least that's what Hendery gathers; it feels cruel to risk his happiness just because Hendery wants more and, on top of that, isn't sure if he'll fit his own wants. Hendery blames Dejun for shoving those thoughts into him in the first place, but he knows that it's his excuse to prolong the inevitable decision.

There's no end to the countdown in his chronometer, but Hendery still feels like he's running out of time. And since it ticks and ticks, the words slip out of his mouth when he least expects them, when he's not prepared to face a conversation of such caliber – when he hasn’t minutely rehearsed his words, his questions, and played all the possible outcomes in his head a dozen of times.

It happens after the next-to-last match of the season, in a new bar where only their friends reunite – there are no invitations this time, because there isn't an official party. Hendery prefers this atmosphere over any of the other matches. Once Yukhei's teammates have exchanged congratulations and a few pats on the back, Yukhei is free to be with whoever he wants, and it feels like any other normal night.

That's how they end up alone at their table, as Ten, Kun, Mark and Dejun stumble all the way to the bar to buy more drinks. Yukhei wraps his arm around Hendery's waist, both of them leaning back on the booth's seat. Hendery tucks his head between Yukhei’s shoulder and his neck, indulging in the clinginess Yukhei shows after he has gulped down the first drink.

Yukhei presses a kiss on his temple, and when Hendery throws his head back to look at him, he just moves to plant a peck on the tip of his nose. Hendery can't help but smile at him, but his stomach twists, butterflies flapping their wings so hard that it makes him sick.

“Yukhei,” Hendery calls him, even though Yukhei's brown eyes are already fixed on him, even though Yukhei is twirling his index finger in Hendery's hair and staring like he can't see beyond him. Hendery breathes out a weak, “Are we together?”

It should be strange that Yukhei doesn't pull away, that he doesn't even find the question out of place. He stays calm, but his gaze travels from Hendery's mouth to his eyes, and his thumb rubs at his cheek as if he's trying to soothe Hendery.

“Yeah,” Yukhei answers, softly. It sounds so easy on his lips that Hendery gapes at him, surprised, but Yukhei just flashes a small smile and adds, “Why are you asking this now?”

Hendery can't lie to him, not when Yukhei is doing the exact opposite. If Yukhei believes they're together, then it must be true.

“I just-” Hendery starts, heart racing, “didn't know?”

Against all odds, Yukhei scoffs at that. The atmosphere between them is void of tension as Yukhei runs a hand through his hair, his chest vibrating with laughter.

“Are you serious? Is this a prank?” Yukhei asks him, and even though Hendery looks at him with wide, scared eyes, he seems to think it's just all part of his act. “Show me where you have your phone. If you're recording this-”

Unannounced, Yukhei slips a hand into his pocket, and Hendery startles with the beginning of a smile on his face.

“It's not a prank!” Hendery protests, torn between offense and amusement. It's a relief that instead of getting angry at him, Yukhei is convinced Hendery is tricking him, but then again Hendery has never seen Yukhei lose his patience. “For how long have we been together?”

Yukhei playfully arches his eyebrows at him.

“Since now.”

Hendery understands his intentions right away, but this isn't what he needs from Yukhei. Acceptance is great, sure, but Hendery might explode if Yukhei plans to tease him about this for the rest of their lives.

“I'm not joking,” Hendery assures him. Judging how fast Yukhei's smile softens, he gets Hendery's nervousness. Yukhei is trying to cheer him up in his own special way: lessening the importance of his question. “I'm asking for real.”

“And I'm being sincere. Since now, I've just decided it.”

Yukhei leans into his mouth, and Hendery parts his lips for him. He doesn't know how much he needs that gesture until Yukhei's tender lips are on him; he doesn't need words or promises, because Yukhei tells him everything with a mere touch.

Hendery chases after his mouth once Yukhei retreats, but Yukhei keeps him in place, smoothing a hand over his chest.

“I guess I've been dating you for three months,” he mutters then. His eyes flicker to Hendery's gaze, an entertained spark in them. “And you've been dating me for... one minute.”

The heat that creeps up on Hendery's face is just partly due to embarrassment. Most of it comes from the comfort of Yukhei's kisses, from the certainty that Hendery doesn't have to fear a rejection. He hides his face against Yukhei's shoulder, ignoring how that just prompts Yukhei to laugh harder.

“Let it go,” Hendery whines, but there's no point. He'll have to find another reason to embarrass himself harder than this, just so that Yukhei forgets. He has set the bar a bit too high, though.

“You let it go,” Yukhei retorts. He sneaks a hand around him again, and then carefully caresses Hendery's hair, bringing him closer. “Why does it matter? You wanted to know if we're together. We are.”

Hendery is speechless, but neither he nor Yukhei need more words. The smile Yukhei dedicates him speaks for itself. It reminds Hendery that Yukhei, no matter what, always understands him. No one else would have stayed with him or would have been so patient with Hendery’s obliviousness and the lies he was telling to himself – it’s embarrassing, but it isn’t relevant anymore.

When Hendery slips his hand under the table, Yukhei already has his palm open to welcome him. Their fingers interlace on the first attempt, and Yukhei stares into his eyes, tender and contented, waiting for his approval.

“We are,” Hendery repeats, and this time it’s easy, too easy, no fears or doubts to hold him back.

Hendery has given Yukhei so much trouble that for once, he deserves to have this little win easily.

**Author's Note:**

> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/renjucas)   
>  [Curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/berryboys)   
> 


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